City of Orange Beach Building Projects Update
City of Orange Beach • May 16, 2020
It is a busy time in the City of Orange Beach with many building projects either underway or soon to get started.
(OBA®) - In addition to the new Orange Beach Middle / High School building on Canal Road, which is expected to be finished in June, and the adjacent Performing Arts Center, which is expected to be completed in April 2021, the following projects are happening in the city.
Adult Fitness Center
Construction of the new 24/7 Orange Beach Adult Fitness Center on the Rec Center campus is expected to start in late May or early June with completion expected by the end of March 2021.
The new 17,400-square-foot building will free up much-needed space in the Rec Center for the Expect Excellence program and Camp Sunshine, which will also benefit from the new gymnasium space.
The adult fitness center will include a main open-space weight/cardio room (10,700 square feet of space), two group fitness rooms with a breakout wall (3,400 square feet total), and large locker rooms with saunas, showers and restrooms.
The Orange Beach City Council awarded the low bid contract, with a not-to-exceed cost of $2.96 million, to Stuart Construction LLC at the April 21 council meeting. The building was designed by Davis Architects, Inc. and McCollough Architecture.
New Gymnasium at Orange Beach Rec Center
After many months of construction, the new gymnasium at the Orange Beach Recreation Center is complete with a Certificate of Occupancy expected to be issued next week. The new gym is shown in photos above and below.
The new gym, which is next to the existing one, shows off the colors of the Orange Beach Makos and is a welcome addition to the Rec Center complex.
McCollough Architecture and Davis Architects, Inc. designed the $1.26 million project, and Highland Wake Construction was the contractor.
Orange Beach Coastal Resources Office Building
The Orange Beach Coastal Resources office building is progressing and is expected to be completed in mid-September.
The building is located near Sportsman Marina, south of the dog park. Phil Harris Construction was awarded the $1 million low-bid contract and McCollough Architecture designed the building.
The marina improvements next to the new building will eventually house Coastal Resources vessels as well as police and fire boats.
New Public Works Site
With the city's donation of 40 acres off of Canal Road to the Baldwin County Board of Education for the construction of the new Orange Beach Middle / High School, the Public Works Department will be moving from William Silvers Parkway to a site off the Foley Beach Express, behind Columbia Southern University and Baldwin EMC.
Sun Coast Builders, Inc. was awarded the low-bid contract of $1.18 million in December to construct the main metal building. The project is expected to be completed by the end of the year, weather permitting.
Orange Beach Tennis Center Upgrades
The city is moving ahead this summer to renovate the aging Orange Beach Tennis Center with eight new hard courts.
The current facility opened in May 2002 and the city is looking forward to the much-needed court improvements. The project will include the demolition of the existing courts and a complete rebuilding of all eight hard courts on the same footprint.
Work is expected to begin on June 1st with completion in late September or early October, weather permitting.
The existing courts will close on Sunday, May 31st. The city understands this will cause an inconvenience for our tennis community and will work to complete the upgrades as soon as possible. The city looks forward to seeing tennis balls fly once again in the fall.
In addition to the Tennis Center renovations, drainage improvements will also take place on the Rec Center campus. During its May 5th meeting, the Orange Beach City Council awarded the tennis and drainage project contract to Ammons & Blackmon for the low-bid amount of $1.46 million.
Share this article w/ Friends...
Orange Beach, Ala. – (OBA) – Orange Beach City Schools and the Mako Academics, Arts, and Athletics Club have announced a major new sponsor.
Perdido Beach Resort pledged to be a Diamond Level Sponsor for the 2025-2026 school year.
Gulf Shores, Ala. – (OBA) – The popular Good Life Ride cycling event is set to return to Gulf State Park on May 10, 2025. The annual event, which attracts cycling enthusiasts from across the Southeast, will feature multiple route options designed to showcase the natural beauty of Alabama's coastal region.
Foley, Ala. – (OBA) – Travel on West Peachtree Avenue will soon be smoother after the Foley City Council approved road repairs. The council voted to fix the road near Foley Airport last week. Jeff Phillips, the city construction projects manager, explained that collapsed metal storm drainage pipes buried alongside the road had damaged the street.
Orange Beach, Ala. – (OBA) – Orange Beach City Schools has appointed Chris Laatsch as their new Assistant Athletic Director. The announcement came Wednesday as school officials welcomed the veteran coach to his expanded role within the athletics program.
Gulf Shores, Ala. – (OBA) – An unusual discovery was made on the beaches of Gulf Shores last week. A funeral urn containing human ashes washed ashore after apparently being released into the Gulf of Mexico.
Gulf Shores, Ala. – (OBA) – The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is inviting kids to experience a summer of adventure through its 2025 Zoo Camp program. The camp will give young animal lovers a hands-on opportunity to learn about wildlife and conservation.
Orange Beach, Ala. – (OBA) – The 6th Annual Orange Beach Powerboat Week is coming to Alabama’s Gulf Coast. The three-day event brings fast boats, fun runs, and parties to the area.
Foley, Ala. – (OBA) – The City of Foley is asking residents to be patient as spring-cleaning and yard work increase the need for limb collection services, according to the City of Foley website.
The Foley Sanitation Department collects tree limbs weekly from homes across the city. However, officials said temporary high demand may delay collections on some routes by about one day.
Gulf Shores, Ala. – (OBA) – Gulf Shores-based artist Michael Swiger has been selected as the winner of the 52nd Annual National Shrimp Festival poster contest, festival organizers announced Monday.
Gulf Shores, Ala. – (OBA) – The Gulf Shores Planning Commission will hear a request from the owners of Hibas Karaoke and Arcade Bar for a conditional use permit to allow for a lounge/bar usage at the bar in Pelican Place.
